Bioinspired co-polyesters of hydroxy-fatty acids extracted from tomato peel agro-wastes and glycerol with tunable mechanical, thermal and barrier properties

By mimicking the cutin natural polyester networks of plant cuticles, we produced hydrophobic elastomers by a sustainable process, i.e., using catalyst- and solvent-free polycondensation glycerol hydroxy fatty acids, two by-products agro-food industry. The acid fraction was obtained ethanolic alkaline hydrolysis cuticle from industrial tomato. This industrial-like contained more than 90 wt%. 9(10),16 dihydroxyhexadecanoic (diOHC16). co-polyesters were designed increasing ratio esterified glycerol/diOHC16 in range observed cutins (up to 6 wt%). Their structure functional properties (thermal, mechanical, gas permeability, interaction with bacterial cells) characterized. Increasing contents induced significant decrease crosslink density polyesters formation crystalline domains hexagonal organization. These structural modifications related marked increase elastomeric extensibility 217 %). While water vapor permeability not impacted, content oxygen permeability. None displayed biocide activity, but an significantly reduced adhesion cells, potentially giving rise antifouling applications.